AUGUSTA - A proposal by Rep. Victoria Morales, D-South Portland, to create a state-level rental assistance program earned initial approval Wednesday in the Maine House. The vote was 82-61.
"The need for housing in our state is greater than we have ever seen it," said Morales, who leads a working group of lawmakers focused on housing policy. "Before the pandemic, 19,000 households were on the waiting list for Section 8 housing vouchers. Today, that number has increased by 27%. We must act with urgency to provide housing solutions, and I am grateful to my colleagues in the House for their support."
LD 473 would create the Maine Rental Assistance and Voucher Guarantee Program within the existing Maine State Housing Authority in order to augment federal housing programs. It also provides landlord incentives and so-called "housing navigators" to help families access and maintain housing.
"Safe, affordable, stable housing is the fundamental linchpin to the health and success of our people. When we house families, their children do better in school, they have improved access to health care, more job stability, and they no longer utilize expensive emergency and crisis-based services. It benefits the family and the community around them while ultimately saving taxpayer dollars," said Morales.
LD 473 faces additional votes in the coming days.
The measure is one of several bills Morales is sponsoring to address Maine's housing crisis. They include LD 1305, which would streamline the process of requesting and accessing housing assistance by including it as part of the applications for other forms of aid, such as MaineCare and food assistance. LD 1305 has earned initial approval from both the House and Senate.
Another proposal sponsored by Morales, LD 1132, would expedite the municipal process of clearing titles of tax-acquired, abandoned properties so they can be available to those in need more quickly. It earned final approval by lawmakers and now awaits action by the governor.
Morales is serving her second term in the Maine House. She represents part of South Portland and is a member of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Morales], c. 812-1111